In 2010, Germany and Austria banned Google street view. Google street view maps show green lines around countries where its vehicles have recorded. The reason for these bans was that Google was collecting personal information from wireless networks and they felt this was against their statutes. While this ban was later lifted, the site still continues to collect data without permission. Read on to learn more about how Google street view is used and how you can opt-out of receiving personal information from Google.
Opt-out option
If you don't like the idea of having your images used in Google Street View, you should know that there is an Opt-out option for this project. German privacy law requires that individuals provide explicit consent before any data can be collected. Moreover, the last census in Germany wasn't taken more than 20 years ago. In case you're wondering, yes, you can opt-out of the project.
Google has recently announced that it will introduce Street View in 20 cities across Germany. As a result of strong public pressure, the company has created an opt-out option. German citizens can request to have their photos and names removed from the service. In order to do so, they need to send a written request to Google before 21 September. Google hopes that people will understand the importance of using Street View, and will not object.
German residents could also opt-out of the project. The people living in those areas were blurred in Street View. This option offered more privacy within Street View, overriding local restrictions on data collection. The Opt-out option is cost-effective, but the consequences are not entirely clear. A "hole" in a map means higher risk for drivers and travelers. Opt-out can also be abused by opponents of the Street View project.
In May, German authorities revealed that the Street View vehicles were collecting private data from citizens. The data was gathered using unencrypted WiFi networks. This was an unauthorised act and Google said it would correct the situation. But many people still remained unconvinced. They are concerned about the implications for their privacy. However, the German government's consumer affairs minister is calling for an opt-out option.
Despite this, it is worth noting that 244,000 households in Germany have so far requested that the images of their houses not be used in Google Street View. Google has explained that removing images is a complex process, and it is unlikely that any images will be completely removed by the time the service launches in Germany. However, they can still request blurred images of their homes. While the opt-out option is welcome, German privacy laws have long been a cause for concern. For instance, Google collected Mac addresses and payload data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
In Germany, Google's privacy regulations required that the company provide a way for people to opt-out of the Street View mapping project. The government has also mandated that an Opt-out option be available to German citizens. Google will release the number of requests that have been submitted by German citizens. German officials have said that several hundred thousand German citizens have filed complaints and are working to eliminate illegitimate requests.
Opt-in option
Whether you'd like to opt-in to Google Street View Germany or not is up to you. But the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has made her decision clear: she's not opting out. Google's new privacy law may make creating Street View imagery easier. According to Welt am Sonntag, the German GDPR law does not allow single-company penalties. As such, Merkel's address will remain visible on Google Street View Germany.
German citizens are fiercely privacy-conscious. The company recently announced plans to roll out street images in 20 German cities. But the service has already been tainted by controversy. As the country's laws are strict regarding the privacy of individual citizens, Google's privacy policies are also highly regarded. A recent report by Der Spiegel noted that as many as 10,000 Germans had signed a letter against the service, the consumer ministry is preparing for a flood of opt-out requests from citizens.
As a result of these concerns, Google has introduced an opt-in option for German residents to opt-out of having their residences photographed. Despite the privacy benefits, less than 3% of affected households asked Google to blur their residences. This resulted in 244,000 blurred houses in Google Street View. The opt-out program led to an unintended consequence, however. A small group of transparency advocates sought out the blurred homes, hoping to find them. Some were rewarded with handwritten notes from Google.
Germany has become a privacy hotspot for privacy-conscious Americans. Since April 2009, Google has offered German households the option of opting out of Street View. However, German privacy laws are strict and many citizens were unaware that their personal information was being collected. Nonetheless, the German government says Street View will be live in the cities mentioned above in the coming weeks. In the meantime, residents should continue to be aware of the opt-out option.
Google will release the number of people who requested blurred images of their homes before the service begins in October. The deadline for these requests was midnight Friday. Google has not revealed the number of people who made requests but has said that several hundred Germans have already requested that their homes be removed from the service. Thankfully, Google is working hard to ensure that no illegitimate requests are made. If you're worried that your property has been blurred, you can always opt-out through a letter to Google.
However, the changes made by Google will have negative impacts on Germany's privacy laws. While the company will continue to aggregate street name data and other data in Germany, it won't send out vehicles to collect new images in Germany. In a statement released today, Google said that priorities have changed from collecting pictures of public streets to simply providing basic information for users. While the changes won't affect the existing images of 20 German cities, the change won't have a significant effect on users.
Privacy laws
German data protection officials have been investigating the controversial company's Street View Germany project. They're also concerned about privacy laws. While the technology is legal in Germany, Johannes Caspar found that the company was illegally collecting personal data from Wi-Fi networks and was pushing Google to turn over more information. His discovery has led to investigations in at least 12 other countries. But Google insists that its street view project has no effect on privacy laws in the country.
In Germany, Google has been taking pains to blur license plates and people's faces in the photos, but the company has not yet removed all images of the city. Hamburg's data protection authority has ordered Google not to archive raw images. Residents can also ask the company to remove images of their property. However, there are no guarantees that a privacy law will be followed and Google may be held responsible for any damage caused by the project.
While this approach seems excessive to Americans, consider that the Stasi and Nazi regimes violated people's privacy. In fact, the Stasi even archived the locations of household wireless networks. As a result, German data protection agencies are concerned about the privacy laws regarding the company's Street View technology. Even the companies that use the technology have to be aware of this. It is imperative to comply with the country's privacy laws if you want to keep Google Street View in the country.
German citizens are very protective of their privacy. Although they passed the first data protection law in the world in 1970, many Germans remain suspicious. In order to get around this, Google had to offer a tool to blur out the fronts of private houses, which prompted a backlash. The company eventually removed some images after receiving over 200,000 requests. And this is why Germany has strict privacy laws, but the company was unable to comply with them.
As a result, Google has resorted to using blurred images of homes on the Street View maps. In Germany, the company has been in discussions with the German government since three years ago, and the silent majority of people will be happy to see it back. After all, the pictures of our public streets are not private, so why not blur them? Nevertheless, Google's return to Germany's streets is an important step for international tourism. And while it may have been controversial for some, the silent majority will be grateful.
The Internet is a global phenomenon and the use of personal data for marketing purposes is not immune from the concerns of privacy advocates. In the United States, for instance, the Federal Trade Commission's Office of Privacy Regulations has imposed sanctions on Google for violating its laws. In Europe, a number of national privacy regulators are investigating Google's Street View in Europe. Similarly, privacy regulators in Switzerland and Hong Kong are demanding that Google stop operating Street View vehicles in their respective countries.
